1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a main body whose front face is armored with a front cover, and a structure for securing the front cover.
2. Related Background Art
There has been known a compact camera which enables photographing with an angle of view adjusted by extending or retracting its lens barrel without exchanging lenses. Under development in such a compact camera is one in which the main body section thereof is armored with a cover made of a metal such as titanium or aluminum, so as to impart a feeling of quality thereto. Meanwhile, in a compact camera equipped with a zoom lens having a large zoom ratio, e.g., with a focal length ranging from 40 to 105 mm; since its taking lens is large, the lens barrel section for the taking lens projects from the front face of the camera. In order for the periphery of the lens barrel section in such a compact camera to be armored with the metal cover as well, as shown in FIG. 3, a cover A may be cylindrically projected by press machining (drawing) in conformity to the projecting state of a lens barrel B, thereby forming a protrusion C having an opening F, at its tip face, for projecting the lens barrel B therethrough. In this case, since the opening F and the tip portion of the lens barrel B are exposed to the exterior of the camera, it is important for the cover A to be accurately positioned with respect to the main body section having the lens barrel B. In order to position the cover A, a frame D of the main body section may be provided with a projection E, while a recess for receiving the projection E is formed on the rear face of the cover A. In this case, when the projection E is inserted into the recess, the center positions of the opening F of the cover A and the lens barrel B can be aligned with each other.
Nevertheless, the camera having the above-mentioned projecting lens barrel B may have the following problems. First, it is difficult to align the center positions of the opening F and lens barrel B with each other. Namely, the position of the cover A with respect to the frame D of the main body section is defined by the position of the projection E on the frame D and the position of the recess on the rear face of the cover A. Consequently, unless both of the projection E and the recess are formed at accurate positions with accurate dimensions, the opening F cannot be located as designed. In this case, the lens barrel B fails to be centered with respect to the opening F, whereby the appearance of the camera might be spoiled. Also, a boring step of forming the recess on the rear face of the metal cover A increases the cost of making the camera. Second, the cover A might float from the frame D (i.e., a gap might be formed between the frame D and the cover A). Namely, though an adhesive, a double-sided adhesive tape, or the like may be interposed between the frame D and the cover A in order to firmly attach the cover A to the frame D, the cover A might be floated from the frame D depending on the form of the protrusion C.